In 2000, Bowie's second wife, Iman, gave birth to a daughter they named Alexandria.

Lesson learned

In 2000, Bowie's second wife, Iman, gave birth to a daughter they named Alexandria.

Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images

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Most admired

In a 2002 BBC poll, Bowie ranked as the 29th most admired Briton of all time, between abolitionist William Wilberforce and Guy Fawkes (shown).

Most admired

In a 2002 BBC poll, Bowie ranked as the 29th most admired Briton of all time, between abolitionist William Wilberforce and Guy Fawkes (shown).

Photo: AP

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David Bowie, Copenhagen 1976. Bowie, the innovative and iconic singer whose illustrious career lasted five decades, died Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, after battling cancer for 18 months. He was 69. Check out many more photos of the shape-shifting singer through the years. less

David Bowie, Copenhagen 1976. Bowie, the innovative and iconic singer whose illustrious career lasted five decades, died Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, after battling cancer for 18 months. He was 69. Check out many ... more

Photo: Jorgen Angel, Getty Images

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British pop star Davy Jones before he changed his name to Bowie following the success of the Monkees and their lead singer Davy Jones.

British pop star Davy Jones before he changed his name to Bowie following the success of the Monkees and their lead singer Davy Jones.

Photo: Potter, Getty Images

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Singer and songwriter, David Bowie, circa 1970s.

Singer and songwriter, David Bowie, circa 1970s.

Photo: Popperfoto, Getty Images

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Musician David Bowie poses for a portrait session in 1966 in London, England.

Musician David Bowie poses for a portrait session in 1966 in London, England.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

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David Bowie (second from left) performs with his band "The Buzz" at the Marquee Club in April 1966 in London.

David Bowie (second from left) performs with his band "The Buzz" at the Marquee Club in April 1966 in London.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

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Musician David Bowie plays an acoustic Espana 12-string guitar to promote the release of his album "Space Oddity" in November 1969 in London, England.

Musician David Bowie plays an acoustic Espana 12-string guitar to promote the release of his album "Space Oddity" in November 1969 in London, England.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

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English model Twiggy poses with David Bowie in Paris for the cover of his 'Pin Ups' album, 1973.

English model Twiggy poses with David Bowie in Paris for the cover of his 'Pin Ups' album, 1973.

Photo: Justin De Villeneuve, Getty Images

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British rock singer and actor David Bowie performing as "Ziggy Stardust," in 1973.

British rock singer and actor David Bowie performing as "Ziggy Stardust," in 1973.

Photo: Hulton Archive, Getty Images

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Musician David Bowie performs onstage during his "Ziggy Stardust" era in 1973 in Los Angeles, California.

Musician David Bowie performs onstage during his "Ziggy Stardust" era in 1973 in Los Angeles, California.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

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Singer David Bowie being interviewed at home in Beckenham, London, 1972

Singer David Bowie being interviewed at home in Beckenham, London, 1972

Photo: Michael Putland, Getty Images

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English pop star David Bowie with singer Dana Gillespie in 1971.

English pop star David Bowie with singer Dana Gillespie in 1971.

Photo: Michael Stroud, Getty Images

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David Bowie, pop star and actor in1973.

David Bowie, pop star and actor in1973.

Photo: Evening Standard, Getty Images

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David Bowie performs live on stage at Earls Court Arena in 1973 during the Ziggy Stardust tour.

David Bowie performs live on stage at Earls Court Arena in 1973 during the Ziggy Stardust tour.

AUSTIN – Acclaimed American record producer Tony Visconti, famous for his many records with David Bowie (including his final album, "Darkstar"), Marc Bolan, Paul McCartney, Badfinger, Iggy Pop, Morrissey and others, briefly choked up onstage Thursday during his South by Southwest keynote talk at the Austin Convention Center as he finished reading a fictionalized account of the grim future of the record industry.

The story ended with a jaded record executive jumping from the balcony of his skyscraper residence to his death.

The dapper 71-year-old producer threw down his prepared notes and had to compose himself afterward. Such raw emotion is rarely part of the morning keynote at SXSW.

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Several hundred were in attendance. The Relatives, an exciting Temptations-style act, opened the session with a driving R&B and gospel-tinged sound.

Visconti's tale of what the music business may look like by 2026 capped a vivid keynote address that touched on his Brooklyn upbringing, his musical training and, of course, his long association and friendship with Bowie, who died Jan. 10 at age 69.

For musicians, he offered hard lessons and good advice. For one, learn to read music. He said that doing so was a tremendous advantage in his career, which began in the 1960s as part of a singing duo with his first wife.

Visconti grew up in an Italian household in Brooklyn. His mother loved singing Neapolitan songs in the kitchen; his father was a guitarist and harmony singer who made his living as a carpenter.He was curious about music from the age of 5, wondering "where echo came from" on recordings. His first instrument was a Popeye the Sailor ukulele.

As a kid in the 1950s, he loved Chet Atkins (especially his use of split-pickups on his stereo electric guitar), Les Paul and Mary Ford, big bands and Frank Sinatra.

He studied music, and by age 15 was playing bass professionally at weddings. His love of orchestral music was balanced by youth music. "The driving force of my life was rock 'n' roll," Visconti said.

By then, he was into Fats Domino and Buddy Holly, who he saw in concert and recounted how "he ran out to the center" of the stage. He shared stories about the first time he saw Little Richard, "a flash guy."

The Beatles changed his life and he set his dreams toward London.

"I know I'm rambling on. I'll get to the part where I meet David Bowie," Visconti joked.

Bowie was 19 when they met. They loved the same music and had a fascination with foreign films. Bowie was living with his parents. He was a difficult artist to produce, Visconti said, because "he didn't know who he was" yet.

For example, Visconti hated "Space Oddity." "I didn't see it," he said, though acknowledged "it's such a beautiful record."

"His music was always adventurous," he added.

Visconti's favorite early record is "The Man Who Sold the World."

He shared stories about McCartney (they worked on "Band on the Run" together) and T-Tex singer Marc Bolan, who remains a cult figure and icon of glam rock.

"In England, he was bigger than the Beatles," Visconti said.

The record producer minced no words about the state of the music business, which he characterized as being "in a downward spiral."

"Singles all sound the same," he said, while acknowledging that he is jaded. "I also know how the sausage is made," Visconti said, referring to ProTools and new technology.

In the closing 20 minutes, when he was reading from a manuscript excerpt, he warned of "bland predictable times" and "crap music."

"I'm the ghost of Christmas future," he said afterward. "Just look at the signs."

Visconti said there are great artists out there, as great as ever, but with little funding and little chance for distribution. He added that self-releasing product has its problems, too.

For example, the countless uploads to YouTube.

"I call this phenomenon the clogging of the arteries," he said.

Here are some of his most notable closing comments.

About sales: "With the population doubling (since the 1960s and '70s), how come we can't sell records?"

About looking for the freaky artist: "You had to be really different in the '70s."